Volvo Launches 7900 Electric Hybrid Bus

Volvo announced that at the upcoming International IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Frankfurt, Germany on September it will officially launch the 7900 Electric Hybrid bus (check hall 17, stand A05). Early prototypes have been tested for some time now in Europe.

This plug-in hybrid is able to drive for some 7 km (4.4 miles)in all-electric mode and then recharge a small battery pack in just 6 minutes.

Volvo Buses believes that such vehicles will be cleaner and with significantly lower fuel consumption, not to mention the ability to operate in near silence.

Several European cities (like Hamburg, Luxembourg and Stockholm) already signed contracts for the 7900 Electric Hybrid buses to be delivered this and next year. However, volume series production is expected in early 2016.

“Volvo Buses takes the next step in electrification and launches the Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid. The plug-in technology reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide by up to 75%, compared to a conventional diesel bus. Total energy consumption is reduced by 60%. Three Volvo Electric Hybrids have run in a field test in Gothenburg the past year, a test which has verified the reduction in energy consumption and emissions.”

“Noise is a growing problem in many cities. The noise level near to an Electric Hybrid is 65 decibels, i.e. normal conversation level. The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid runs in electric mode in average 70% of the route, silent and emission-free.”

“The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid offers great flexibility in operation; it can run as an electric bus in selected areas, and performs as a hybrid on any route. Charging at end stations takes 6 minutes. The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid shares the technology of the well-proven Volvo 7900 Hybrid, securing high uptime and availability.”

It’s interesting how this hybrid bus with 4.4 miles of electric range weighs 19 tons, or 38,000 pounds, whereas the BYD fully electric bus weighs 30,864 pounds. I suppose the 5 liter diesel engine weighs a lot more than the thousands of pounds of battery on the roof of the BYD?
I get the feeling something isn’t accurate with those curb weights.

” Nationwide, city buses averaged about 4.71 miles per gallon, according to the National Transit Database. Washington, D.C.’s WMATA reported in 2012 that its buses were getting 3.76 miles per gallon.”

Popple goes on to say…

“But (buses) they’re the workhorses of America’s transit systems.

“Last year, according to the American Public Transportation Association, buses hauled 5.36 billion passengers.”

“While usage has fallen in recent years, thanks in part to the growth of light rail and subway systems, buses still account for more rides each year than heavy rail, light rail, and commuter rail combined—and (account) for about half of all public transit trips.”

………..Hey, I’m with you and I absolutely hate riding the bus just like everybody else does….. but if I have to take the bus, let it be an electric bus….